Psychotherapy

What is Psychotherapy?

Psychotherapy is a treatment and healing approach for psychological disturbance and dysfunction within the individual and within systems of human relating. The concern of treatment is the psyche, which can be understood as the interrelated physical, emotional, mental and spiritual aspects of being human. Psychotherapy also recognises the social and cultural contexts of human experience. The practice of psychotherapy is grounded in a basis of dynamic, existential, transpersonal and systems theories of individual development and human relationships.

There are different theoretical and practical approaches to the conduct of psychotherapy. Psychotherapists come from a variety of professional backgrounds and may have acquired their psychotherapy skills through a range of different training experiences. Some psychotherapists are trained to work specifically with children and adolescents.

The practice of psychotherapy involves engaging clients in a relationship with the psychotherapist. Within this relationship clients may examine their lives and their life contexts, enhancing their consciousness of themselves while making and maintaining meaningful changes in their lives.

What can Psychotherapists help with?

Psychotherapists are trained in the skills of understanding and treating psychological disturbance such as:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Reactions to trauma, or
• Other serious emotional or behavioural disorders.

Psychotherapists can help clients overcome or cope with such disorders by assisting them to:

• Understand their past and the way it affects their life now
• Manage difficult life experiences
• Resolve personal conflict
• Understand emotional pain
• Improve their patterns of communication
• Enhance their relationships
• Discover meaning and purpose in life.

Choosing a Psychotherapist

When choosing a psychotherapist, clients may request an initial interview and then consider the questions:

• Do I feel I could be open with this person?
• Do I feel understood by this person?
• Is this person a member of NZAP?

Not all psychotherapists are members of NZAP. Only those who are members of NZAP are bound by the NZAP Code of Ethics, its requirements regarding supervision and continuing professional development, and accountable through NZAP?s complaint and disciplinary procedures.

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